Campaigners fighting to save the North Riding Infirmary have won a major battle.

Aldi has lost its appeal against the decision by Middlesbrough Council's planning committee to refuse its first application to develop the site.

That first application for a supermarket and second retail unit was described by some critics as "a tin shed".

A second application by Aldi for a building in more traditional materials was also refused planning consent. But Aldi could now go to a second public inquiry to appeal against that decision.

Robert Forster, a Government planning inspector, held a public inquiry last month into the appeal against the rejection of the first application.

Now he has announced his decision that the appeal should be dismissed.

Announcing his decision, Mr Forster said: "The appeal building is a departure from the standard retail buildings normally put up by discount retailers. It has clean, modern lines and uses good quality materials.

"Though a well designed example of the genre, its appearance in this demanding setting is insufficiently strong to qualify as a gateway building at the edge of the town centre."

He said the proposed Aldi building was bland in appearance as a result of the large amount of plain, white panelling used as the main cladding material.

"It is unfair to compare this building directly with the North Riding Infirmary, but for all its architectural imperfections that building stands on the site and proclaims its gateway function in no uncertain fashion."

News of the inspector's decision delighted planning committee chairman Councillor John McPartland and leading campaigner for the preservation of the infirmary, Councillor Barry Coppinger.

Cllr McPartland said: "We agreed in the planning committee that this was a totally unacceptable building on a very important gateway site."

Cllr Coppinger said: "I am delighted the inspector has recognised the need for a high quality building and the North Riding Infirmary lives to fight another day.

"The decision is a tribute to a lot of hard work by many people. It is also credit to the Save Our Infirmary campaign run by the Evening Gazette."

That campaign resulted in petitions against the Aldi proposals with more than 7,000 signatures being presented to the council.